Transfer sleeve for drill pipe protectors



Nov. 16, 1943. R. H. HOWARD 2,334,557

TRANSFER SLEEVE FOR DRILL PIPE PROTECTORS Filed Jan. 6, 1943 E 5940b hfHOI I/d/"d JNVENTOR @WFT;W

Patented Nov. 16, 1943 1- D YST E PATENT TRANSFER The invention relatesto transfer sleeves for drill pipe protectors, and has for its object toprovide a device of this kind, onto which a drill pipe sleeve may beforced and held in an expanded condition in a warehouse where theoperation may be facilitated and the transfer sleeve, with the expandedprotector thereon, transported to the point of use, for instance adrilling operation and placed on drill pipe sections in a vertical or ahorizontal position, and the sleeve automatically forced from thetransfer sleeve onto the drill pipe section at the desired position.

A further objectis to provide the transfer sleeve assembly withreleasable expansion spring means for forcing the expanded protectorsleeve therefrom onto the drill pipe section.

' A further object is to provide a mandrel adapter detachably connectedto the transfer sleeve and adapted to be received in the large end of atapered mandrel, over which the drill pipe protector is forced by anysuitable means onto the transfer sleeve.

A further object is to provide a transfer sleeve device comprising aninner sleeve, an outer sleeve slidably mounted on the inner sleeve andspring means interposed between said sleeves and latching meansconnecting said inner and outer sleeves for holding the spring meanscompressed when a sleeve protector is forced over the mandrel, adapterand onto the inner sleeve; the inside diameter of which inner sleeve isgreater than the tool joint of the drill pipe section.

A further object is to provide the inner and outer sleeves of thetransfer device with flanges, and one of said flanges with guide rodsextending through apertures of the other flange and coiled springssurrounding said rods and interposed between the flanges. Also toprovide spring actuated latching members carried by one of the sleeveflanges and cooperating with means carried by the other flange forholding said sleeves against movement under the expansive action of thecoiled springs.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown inthe drawing, described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope ofwhat is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the transfer sleeve device.

SLEEVE FOR 1mm. r11 1: rnorac'rons Ralph E. Howard, Oklahoma City, Okla.Application January 6, 1943, Serial No. 471,511 4 Claims. (01. 2948.2)

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the mandrel adapter.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view through one side of thetransfer device, showing the latching connection between the sleeves.

Figure 4 is an end view of the transfer device.

Figure 5 is a side elevation'of the transfer device showing the same inposition on a drill pipesection and the protector in position to beforced from the'inner sleeve onto the drill pipe section. I

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5', but showing the protector beingforced from the inner sleeve of the transfer device.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates the inner sleeve ofthe transfer device, the inner diameter of which is greater than thetool joint 2 of a drill pipe section, so the device as a whole, withanexpanded protector thereon, may be transported to the place of use andpassed over the tool joint onto the drill pipe 3 beyond the joint andforced from the transfer device onto the section at the desiredposition.

Slidably mounted on the inner sleeve I is an outer sleeve 4, and thesleeve 4 is provided with an annular flange 5 having anchored thereto,at 6, a plurality of rods I, which rods are in turn slidably mounted inapertures 8 of the flange 9 carried by the inner sleeve I and terminatein enlarged heads Ill, which heads limit the outward movement of theouter sleeve 4 in relation to the inner sleeve under the influence ofthe expansion springs II which surround the rods I and are interposedbetween the flanges 5 and 9. The expansion power of the springs H is sumcient to force the expanded protector I2 fromthe inner sleeve I afterthe transfer device is placed on the drill pipe section and whenlatching means, hereinafter described is released.-

The protectors I2 are placed on the transfer device in any suitableposition, for instance in a warehouse and the transfer device, with theexpanded protector, transported to the point of use, therebyfacilitating the protector applying operation.

The inner periphery of one end of the inner sleeve I is provided with abayonet slot I3, which receives the lugs I4 of a mandrel adapter I5,onto which adapter is threaded at IS a tapered mandrel over which isforced, by any suitable mechanism, a rubber protector I2,'and applicantdoes not limit himself to the particular type of protector applyingdevice. As the protector I2 is forced over the tapered mandrel I'I,adapter I5, and onto the inner sleeve I, the annular flange ll engagesinto the end of the protector as shown .at II, and as the protector isforced against the flange I of the outer sleeve 4. said outer sleeve ismoved longitudinally on the inner sleeve I, compressing the springs II.The above operation continues until the latch hook 20 engages over thelatch pin 2| carried by the flange 9, therefore it will be seen that theexpansion springs II will be maintained compressed until the latches arereleased after the transfer device has been transported to the point ofuse, as shown in Figure 5.

The latches 22 are hingedly connected at 23 to the flange 6 of the outersleeve 4 and limited in their outward movement by the lugs 24, clearlyshown in Figure 3. Interposed between the free ends of the latches 22and the sleeve 4 are expansion springs 25, which normally force saidfree ends outwardly, therefore it will be seen that during the protectorapplying operation on the inner sleeve I, the noses 28 will engage thelatch pins 2|, compressing the springs 25, and will spring into hookedengagement with the pins 2|. The transfer devices are then transportedto the point of use and can be easily placed on the drill pipe sectionsover the tool joints, clearly shown in Figure 5.- and after which thelatching members 22 are forced inwardly for releasing the expansivepower of the springs II. The springs II are sufliciently strong to forcethe protector I! from the inner sleeve I onto the drill pipe section,shown in Figure 6, and after this operation the transfer device may beeasily moved from the drill pipe and returned to the warehouse for againapplying the protector thereto.

From the above it will be seen that a transfer device is provided fordrill pipe protectors, which may be loaded with a protector at aconvenient place where the work can be facilitated and may be easilytransported and applied to a drill nine section in thefleld without theuse of' a conventional protector expander and applicator as is now thecommon practice.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and usefulis:

1. A drill pipe protector transfer device adapted to be passed over theend of a drill pipe section,

said protector comprising .an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve slidablymounted out the inner sleeve, flanges carried by said sleeves, guiderods carried by one of said flanges and extending through apertures inthe other flange, expansion springs surrounding said guide rods andinterposed between the flanges and adapted to be compressed as the outersleeve is forced in one direction by a protector being forced onto theend of the inner sleeve and latching means between said sleeves andpositioned to hold said sleeves and expansion springs in latchedposition after a protector has been forced onto the end of the innersleeve.

2. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein the latching means compriseshinged latches carried by one of the flanges, the free endsof saidhinged latches cooperating with members carried by the other flange andspring means for maintaining said latches in latched position.

3. A device as set forth in claim 5-including means whereby a taperedmandrel may be axially attached to the inner sleeve.

4. A device as set forth in claim 5 including means whereby a taperedmandrel may be attached to one end of the inner sleeve, said means

